When the pandemic had Charlotte Players executive director Sherrie Moody scrambling to piece together a season of safe shows for audiences and performers, among the main questions the board of directors asked was “Can we get the Edwards Twins back?” and “If so, where will they perform?”
The show of high-quality impersonations of famous male and female singers by a pair of identical twin brothers has been a highlight on the Charlotte Players calendar for many seasons. Their remarkable impersonations of Barbra Streisand, Cher, Bette Midler, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Tom Jones, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Engelbert Humperdinck and others have captivated audiences all over the world.
The duo will perform at Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center in Punta Gorda for 7:30 p.m. shows on Monday, Feb. 1, and Tuesday, Feb. 2. Preferred seating tickets are $39, with regular seating at $34. Preferred student seating is $20, and regular student seating is $17.
Tickets may be ordered at www.charlotteplayers.org or by calling 941-255-1022 weekdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
With This Ring Feb. 5 – 21
On Feb. 5, director Joe Simonelli brings his own play With This Ring to the Langdon Playhouse at 1182 Market Circle, Port Charlotte. Written with Valentine’s Day in mind, this is the story of a wedding band that travels over five generations and the visceral effect it has on those couples who come to possess it.
The ring is first presented to an Irish immigrant at the turn of the 19th Century and comes full circle until finding its way to an engaged couple in 2007.
Simonelli has been writing and acting in plays on the Jersey Shore, Staten Island, and Manhattan since 2000. His plays are performed around the United States and Canada on a regular basis.
There are 14 shows Feb. 5 through Feb. 21. Tickets are $22 for adults and $11 for students.
On Feb. 21 and 22, auditions will be held at the Langdon rehearsal hall for the Players’ April production of Hotbed Hotel. Written by Michael and Susan Parker, the play concerns husband-and-wife hotel owners who put together a plan to make the place seem busier than it is for a prospective buyer. Director Jerry Jones will be seeing actors at 7 p.m. on both audition dates.
Cahal Dunne Feb. 28
Closing out the month is famed Irish tenor Cahal Dunne for one show only at the Langdon on Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults and $11 for students.
The event marks a return to the Players for Ireland’s “Piano Man,” as Dunne is known. He possesses a certain magical quality that transcends talent and comes from deep within a great entertainer. This native of County Cork has a following of loyal admirers and friends and continues to make new friends with each appearance.
